1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical fiber cable having a connector in which an optical connector is assembled on the tip portion of the optical fiber cable, and an assembly method thereof (an assembly method of the optical fiber cable having a connector).
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, as mounting of an optical connector to a tight buffer type optical fiber cable (hereinafter, also referred to as an “optical fiber cable” or simply as a “cable”) which is represented by an indoor optical fiber cable or a drop optical fiber cable, a method which uses a so-called field assembly type optical connector or a method which assembles a factory assembly type optical connector including a ferrule through which an empty fiber hole penetrates is adopted.
The field assembly type optical connector includes a short optical fiber (hereinafter, referred to as a “built-in optical fiber) which is inserted into and fixed to a ferrule in advance. The tip of the optical fiber in which a jacket of a cable terminal is removed and exposed is butted and connected to the rear end opposite to the front end which is positioned in the front end surface (splice end surface) of the ferrule of the built-in optical fiber, and thereby, the field assembly type optical connector is assembled on the tip of the cable (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2010-145951).
After the optical fiber in which the jacket of the cable terminal is removed and exposed is inserted into and fixed to the fiber hole which penetrates through the ferrule, a housing which accommodates the ferrule is assembled, and the factory assembly type optical connector is provided in the cable terminal.
Compared to the case where the factory assembly type optical connector is used, since the assembly of the field assembly type optical connector on the tip portion of the cable has a structure in which the connecting points between the optical fibers further increases by one and the connecting points are accommodated in the inner portion of the connector, the entire length of the connector is lengthened, and thereby, there are disadvantages in which the structure of the connector is complicated, the costs increases, and the like. In addition, since the field assembly type optical connector includes anchoring means for anchoring the jacket terminal of the cable, the configuration also becomes complicated and the costs increases.
On the other hand, in the factory assembly type optical connector, since it is not necessary to accommodate the connecting points between the optical fibers and the configuration is simpler compared to the field assembly type optical connector, the costs are decreased. However, in a case where the factory assembly type optical connector is assembled on the tip portion of the cable, a portion which extends between the ferrule and the tip of the cable jacket is present in the optical fiber of the optical fiber cable, and there is a problem in that the mechanical strength of the portion is decreased.